Sights on one that got away

Adding one more title to the trophy cabinet would be a perfect result for Northern Districts' skipper James Marshall as they look to launch their 2010-11 season.
The Knights are being put through their paces in Whangarei this week and want to improve on their 2009-10 double last year, by adding the HRV Twenty20 title to their trophy haul - giving them the chance of a fourth title.
"It's the one that got away from us last year - it's an opportunity to win two trophies, if you win the domestic competition, then you've got a chance of winning the (ICC) Champions Trophy as well - so we'd love to win that as much as retaining the two trophies we worked so hard to win last year," Marshall said.
The HRV Cup was a resounding success last year, with the public turning up in large numbers to watch international stars like Dimitri Mascarenhas and Tillakaratne Dilshan playing - prompting New Zealand Cricket to double the number of "foreign" players allowed in each team to two.
With Australians Brad Hodge and David Warner and South African Herschelle Gibbs contracted to fill the two Knights' spots - and players like Brett Lee and Mike Yardy joining the competition for Wellington and Central Districts respectively - Marshall feels the competition will be taken to another level and that should have a positive effect on the Knights' squad.
"Having guys like Hodge, Warner and Gibbs around is going to be fantastic for the group. Obviously we're going to gain a lot from their experience by just being involved," he said.
The three world-class batsmen are certain to make the competition for places in the Knights' batting line-up step up a notch.
"Adding those three into the mix means we have got some tough decisions to make when it comes to selection because we've already got a lot of quality batsmen playing for Northern Districts - but that's a good position, a healthy position to be in, so we're excited about having them here," he said.
Over the past two or three seasons, the team has worked hard to develop a winning culture - collecting the One-Day Trophy for the past two seasons and making it two out of three last year by adding the prestigious Plunket Shield (four-day competition) to their title haul.
The Northern Districts line-up played the ND A squad yesterday in a one-day match with Marshall impressed with the crop of talent emerging from the region.
"They've got a lot of quality in their side, especially with players like Nick Horsley coming back into the frame, so it's great for us to see who's behind us pushing us for places," he said.
The side completes their three-day camp in Whangarei today, after a Twenty20 match against the A team, to return to their club sides for competition this weekend before beginning their season with a Plunket Shield match against Otago on November 9.